Integrating GFI HelpDesk with Identity Providers

An identity provider (IdP) is a system entity that creates, maintains, and manages identity information and offers user authentication as a service. There are two types of identity providers: Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) and Open Connect OD (OpenID). GFI HelpDesk supports SAML.

This topic provides information on how you can integrate GFI HelpDesk with identity providers.

Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is an XML-based open-standard data format for exchanging authentication and authorization data between parties, in particular, between an identity provider and a service provider.

The SAML specification defines three roles:

  • the principal (typically a user)
  • the identity provider (IdP)
  • the service provider (SP)

In the use case addressed by SAML, the principal requests a service from the service provider. The service provider requests and obtains an identity assertion from the identity provider. On the basis of this assertion, the service provider can make an access control decision - in other words, it can decide whether to perform some service for the connected principal.

There is a GFI HelpDesk module for SAML's Single Sign-On integration for GFI HelpDesk version 4.50 and higher. Using single sign-on (SSO) module permits a single action of user authentication and authorization to access all computers and systems where he has access permission, without the need to enter multiple passwords.

To download the GFI HelpDesk module for SAML Single Sign-On integration, please visit GFI HelpDesk Forge.

Features

  • Users can log in with Facebook credentials.
  • Users can log in with Twitter credentials.
  • Can easily integrate with your IdP so that users in your organization can log in with there IdP credentials